Rivermen goalie Bishop traded

PEORIA, ILL – Peoria Rivermen goaltender Ben Bishop has been traded to

the Ottawa Senators, the St. Louis Blues announced today. According to a press release put out by the parent club of the AHL Rivermen, the Blues will receive a second round draft pick in the 2013 draft in exchange for Bishop.
Bishop, the AHL All-Star MVP who led the American League in shutouts (6) and Save Percentage (0.928) at the time of the trade, is expected to report directly to the Senators where he will share the crease with Ottawa backup Alex Auld. The Senators need for goaltending help came on suddenly when starter Craig Anderson was injured in a freak accident at his home.
Bishop, set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this year, was stuck behind the fine goaltending tandem of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliot in St. Louis. Elliot was named to the NHL All-Star team and Bishops fate was sealed when the team signed Elliot to a two-year contract extension around the All-Star break.
Bishop had 13 NHL total appearances for 614 minutes with the Blues compiling a 4-5-1 record. Despite his stellar and consistently improving AHL numbers, some feel the Senators overpaid for Bishop unless they intend to sign him for next season as Andersons backup.
St. Louis, meanwhile, must have seen it as an offer too good to refuse. Receiving a second round choice in what is seen as one of the deepest drafts in recent memory could be a very wise choice in the style of“Moneyball.” While Bishop served a valuable role with the Rivermen, his value on the open market was set to expire at 3pm on Monday.
Looking towards the future, Jake Allen takes the reigns for the Rivermen and moves to number three on the Blues goaltending depth chart. Allen, in his sophomore season in the AHL, has struggled at times since his stunning rookie year. The weight of Peoria’s playoff hopes now falls upon him.
Contact the author: Shaun.Bill@ProHockeyNews.com